Error when editing form --using an event receiver

Question

Hi,
I created an event receiver sandbox solution and deployed it to preprod.  My code doesn't work and everytime I edit an item it gives me this error. I don't receive an error when I create an item.
Server encountered an internal error. For more information, turn off customErrors in the server's .config file.
at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddOrUpdateItem(String bstrUrl, String bstrListName, Boolean bAdd, Boolean bSystemUpdate, Boolean bPreserveItemVersion, Boolean bPreserveItemUIVersion,
Boolean bUpdateNoVersion, Int32& plID, String& pbstrGuid, Guid pbstrNewDocId, Boolean bHasNewDocId, String bstrVersion, Object& pvarAttachmentNames, Object& pvarAttachmentContents, Object& pvarProperties, Boolean bCheckOut, Boolean bCheckin,
Boolean bMigration, Boolean bPublish, String bstrFileName, ISP2DSafeArrayWriter pListDataValidationCallback, ISP2DSafeArrayWriter pRestrictInsertCallback, ISP2DSafeArrayWriter pUniqueFieldCallback) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.AddOrUpdateItem(Boolean
bAdd, Boolean bSystem, Boolean bPreserveItemVersion, Boolean bNoVersion, Boolean bMigration, Boolean bPublish, Boolean bCheckOut, Boolean bCheckin, Guid newGuidOnAdd, Int32& ulID, Object& objAttachmentNames, Object& objAttachmentContents, Boolean
suppressAfterEvents, String filename, Boolean bPreserveItemUIVersion) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.UpdateInternal(Boolean bSystem, Boolean bPreserveItemVersion, Guid newGuidOnAdd, Boolean bMigration, Boolean bPublish, Boolean bNoVersion, Boolean bCheckOut,
Boolean bCheckin, Boolean suppressAfterEvents, String filename, Boolean bPreserveItemUIVersion) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.Update() at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.SaveButton.SaveItem(SPContext itemContext, Boolean uploadMode, String checkInComment)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.SaveButton.OnBubbleEvent(Object source, EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.Control.RaiseBubbleEvent(Object source, EventArgs args) at System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument)
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
private bool HasFieldChanged(SPItemEventProperties properties, string sInternalName)
if (properties.ListItem[sInternalName] != null && properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields[sInternalName].StaticName] != null)
//before properties is not equal than after properties
return !properties.ListItem[sInternalName].ToString().Equals(properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields[sInternalName].StaticName].ToString(), StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
return false;
 public override void ItemUpdating(SPItemEventProperties properties)
 base.ItemUpdating(properties);
 try
 if (HasFieldChanged(properties, "WHQ") && !HasFieldChanged(properties, "Employee Type"))
 SPList oSPList = properties.Web.Lists["EPDEMails"];
 SPListItem oSPItem = oSPList.AddItem();
 SPListItem item = properties.ListItem;
 string sAfterWHQDepartment = properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields["WHQ Department"].StaticName].ToString();
 string sBeforeWHQDepartment = item[properties.ListItem.Fields["WHQ Department"].StaticName].ToString();
 string sEmails = string.Empty;           
 string sGroups = string.Format("{0},{1},Editors", sAfterWHQDepartment, sBeforeWHQDepartment);
 foreach (string group in sGroups.Split(','))
 foreach (SPUser thisuser in properties.Web.Groups[group].Users)
                            sEmails += thisuser.Email + ";";
                    oSPItem["Subject"] = "Employee Transfer to a different WHQ Department";
                    oSPItem["To"] = sEmails;
                    oSPItem["Body"] = string.Format("{0} {1} has been transferred to {2} from {3}. Please update EPD ASAP", item["First Name"],
item["Last Name"], sAfterWHQDepartment, sBeforeWHQDepartment);
                    oSPItem.Update();
  if (HasFieldChanged(properties, "Region") && !HasFieldChanged(properties, "Employee Type"))
                SPList oSPList = properties.Web.Lists["EPDEMails"];        
  SPListItem oSPItem = oSPList.AddItem();
  SPListItem item = properties.ListItem;
  string sAfterRegion = properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields["Region"].StaticName].ToString();
  string sBeforeRegion = item[properties.ListItem.Fields["Region"].StaticName].ToString();
  string sEmails = string.Empty;
  string sGroups = string.Format("{0},{1},Editors", sAfterRegion, sBeforeRegion);
  foreach (string group in sGroups.Split(','))
  foreach (SPUser thisuser in properties.Web.Groups[group].Users)
                       sEmails += thisuser.Email + ";";
                    oSPItem["Subject"] = "Employee Transfer to a different Region";
                    oSPItem["To"] = sEmails;
                    oSPItem["Body"] = string.Format("{0} {1} has been transferred to {2} from {3}. Please update EPD ASAP", item["First Name"],
item["Las tName"], sAfterRegion, sBeforeRegion);
                    oSPItem.Update();
 if (HasFieldChanged(properties, "Employee Type"))
 SPList oSPList = properties.Web.Lists["EPDEMails"];
 SPListItem oSPItem = oSPList.AddItem();
 SPListItem item = properties.ListItem;
 string sChangedEmployeeType = properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields["Employee Type"].StaticName].ToString();
 if (sChangedEmployeeType == "Region")
string sAfterRegion = properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields["Region"].StaticName].ToString();
string sBeforeWHQDepartment = item[properties.ListItem.Fields["WHQ Department"].StaticName].ToString();
string sEmails = string.Empty;
string sGroups = string.Format("{0},{1},Editors", sAfterRegion, sBeforeWHQDepartment);
 foreach (string group in sGroups.Split(','))
 foreach (SPUser thisuser in properties.Web.Groups[group].Users)
                                sEmails += thisuser.Email + ";";
                        oSPItem["Subject"] = "Employee Transfer to a Region";
                        oSPItem["To"] = sEmails;
                        oSPItem["Body"] = string.Format("{0} {1} has been transferred to {2} from {3}. Please update EPD ASAP",
item["First Name"], item["Last Name"], sAfterRegion, sBeforeWHQDepartment);
                        oSPItem.Update();
 else if (sChangedEmployeeType == "WHQ")
 string sBeforeRegion = item[properties.ListItem.Fields["Region"].StaticName].ToString();
 string sAfterWHQDepartment = properties.AfterProperties[properties.ListItem.Fields["WHQ Department"].StaticName].ToString();
 string sEmails = string.Empty;
 string sGroups = string.Format("{0},{1},Editors", sAfterWHQDepartment, sBeforeRegion);
 foreach (string group in sGroups.Split(','))
 foreach (SPUser thisuser in properties.Web.Groups[group].Users)
                                sEmails += thisuser.Email + ";";
                        oSPItem["Subject"] = "Employee Transfer to a WHQ Department";
                        oSPItem["To"] = sEmails;
                        oSPItem["Body"] = string.Format("{0} {1} has been transferred to {2} from {3}. Please update EPD ASAP",
item["First Name"], item["Last Name"], sAfterWHQDepartment, sBeforeRegion);
                        oSPItem.Update();
  //send email
  SmtpClient sendEmail = new SmtpClient();
  MailMessage message = new MailMessage();
  sendEmail.Host = "[email protected]";
  message.IsBodyHtml = true;
  message.From = new MailAddress("[email protected]");
  message.To.Add("[email protected]");
  message.Subject = "Test Email on Transfer Jan 13th";
  message.Priority = MailPriority.Normal;
  sendEmail.Send(message);
catch (Exception ex)
throw ex;
This is really frustrating.  Any help is appreciated.
Talibah C

Answer 1

Hello,
Can you debug your solution and let us know the line where your code is failing. Also tell what form you are editing and Is there any checkin/Checkout feature enable on that library?
BTW i have found two similar threads for same error:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sharepoint/en-US/2096609e-036e-4e5a-bd69-3cded4d3ca89/sharepoint-2010-error-failed-hr-detected-unable-to-update-list-item?forum=sharepointgeneralprevious
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sharepoint/en-US/2277fdab-5652-4627-9879-da199089d6e6/how-can-i-get-around-this-error-when-modifying-a-document-via-itemadded-event?forum=sharepointdevelopmentlegacy
Hemendra:Yesterday is just a memory,Tomorrow we may never see
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